CHAPTER ONE

Moving to a new home sucks. And I know that everyone bitches about it. But that's because it's true. Totally true. So yeah, as you might have already presumed, I've moved. To the East Side. Where the "greasers" live. Personally, I hate labels. Who cares if so-and-so is a greaser?? I don't. Greasers are probably decent people. Not that I've met anyone yet. I've been here for all of ……2 hours and 43 minutes.

I guess I should let you know who I am. The names April. April Cooper. I know, named after the month. Let's just say my mother was NOT in her right mind when she chose my name. Not that I particularly care. At least I never have to worry about anyone having the same name. I've never met another April. I'm sure my dad would hate it. Not that he has any idea that I'm alive. He's a big shot in New York. Some Wall Street banker type. One of those nice guys who hoodwinked my mum into thinking he loved her.

We used to live in New York. Me and my mum. She cleaned houses (hence how she met the banker guy). There were some good times, and some shitty ones too. But my mum decided that she didn't want to clean houses anymore, she wanted to move in with her new boyfriend. Well I guess he's not really new, she's been dating him for like 10 years. He owns a gas station on the East Side. Which my mum is gonna help run. After she marries him. Which will be in about 12 weeks. His name's Stan by the way. Dec guy. I like him. My mum made sure of that. She's actually super caring when it comes to me. She just doesn't want me to ever get hurt like she did. Hence why I have had all of 2 boyfriends. They have to be approved by mum.

But back to me. So I'm April, 17 years old for….5 and a half more weeks. I'm a senior. Finally. I'll be starting at the new school soon. Monday I guess. Which means I only have 2 more days to enjoy my freedom in this new town. I don't really like school. Why get graded on knowledge? I'm not gonna need to know trigonometry for my job. I'm more of a physical girl (no pun intended for all u dirty minded people). I mean like I'm good at fixing and building things. Cars, cupboards. Stuff like that.

I'm gonna stop rambling now. I need to get out of this house. I've got a restless spirit as my mum calls it. Can't stay in one place for too long. Maybe that's why school kills me. Hmm, I'll have to think about that one. Anyways, enough of this pity party. It's Saturday afternoon. I'm getting outta here.

***

"Yo mum, is it okay if I go out for bit? Promise I won't be out late." I ran downstairs to the kitchen and saw my mom putting stuff away into the cupboard.

"Of course. But could you be home for 6? Stan wants us to run by the station so that he knows we got here okay. He couldn't take today off. Saturdays are just too busy. He also wants the guys to meet us."

"Yea no prob. I hope those guys can actually fix cars. Or else I'll have to show them a thing or two." I smiled inwardly. Fixing cars was my favourite pastime.

"Be nice on your first day. You want to make friends at your new work, not enemies. Which reminds me, we need to register you for school tomorrow. And working at the station better not interfere with your schoolwork. Its senior year after all."

"Don't worry mum. It won't. And I don't have to go to school. It's not like I'm really learning anything anyways."

"Oh sweetheart lets not have this conversation again. Finishing high school; that was the deal. Now get out of here. Or else you won't have any time before we have to go meet Stan."

"K, see ya later!" I grabbed a set of house keys and bolted out the door. God was it hot. I was glad I had a lot of summer clothes. I walked along the streets of town, and saw myself in one of the store's windows. I thought I looked pretty. I have super long wavy brown hair. With some nice natural highlights that girls pay immense amounts of money for. I'm not tall but I'm not short either. I'd say about 5'8". I was wearing white shorts and a little pink top, which showed of my arms. I got muscles from fixing cars and such. I'm proud of that.

"Oh hi there greaser. Where are you going?" I heard a voice call me from the street. Turning my head to the right I saw a car load of boys all gawking at me. They looked around my age, and you could tell that they had money. Like the mustang didn't make that obvious. "Sure you don't want any company??" They laughed at that. God, what idiots.

"Not from someone who uses lame pickup lines like that." I kept walking, hoping to get away from them. What was it my mum said? Oh yea, don't make any enemies.

"Is that sass I'm hearing from you bitch? Last I checked, whores aren't supposed to talk back." Oh god, a real guy with words.

"What makes you think I'm a whore? I haven't slept with you. And by the looks of it, neither has anyone else." And with that I ducked into the first store I saw, because I knew I would get beat up if I stayed outside.

Turns out I wandered into a convenience store. Looking out the window, I saw the mustang park and the boys just sat there. Waiting for me. I desperately scanned the whole store, looking for the tuffest guy I could. Aha. Gotcha! I walked to the back of the store, where I saw a boy with white blond hair picking out a soda.

"Hi there. Could you do me a huge favour?" I asked him sweetly, praying to god that this would work. Or else I might be stuck inside this store all night.

"What is it little lady?" God this guy was big. Like 6 inches taller than me, and man was he tuff.

"Could you pretend to be my boyfriend? Just, there's a huge carload of boys out there waiting for me. And I really don't want to get into a fight on my first day here." I looked up at him and batted my eyes. Hopefully flirting works with this guy.

"Socs?? Are they bothering you?" He looked out the window and spotted them. Suddenly he looked very angry.

"Not really. But I don't fancy a fight with 6 of them and 1 of me."

"Well then, don't worry. Just let me pay for this and then I'll get you out of here." He walked up to the counter, put down some money, and said, "Well come on hunny." And held open the door for me.

As soon as we got outside he put his arm around my waist and said, "Just go along with what I say got it?" I nodded quickly, and then saw that he was heading over to the mustang. I looked up to him with curiosity, but he just gave me a wink before saying, "have you boys been bothering my girl?"

The boys had been hollering as soon as we got out of the store, but as we walked closer I saw them all stop, and looks of fear crossed their faces. Hmm, wonder if it was because of a certain boy I was with.

"Da..dally?" said the boy behind the wheel. "When did you get out of the cooler?" Oh shit, this guy's gone to prison? Tufff

"None of your business Randy, just be assured that I'll be around for a while. And if you bother my girl again I'll make sure to make a house call to you and your little friends." Dally smirked at them, as if egging them on.

"Aw shit Dal! We were only jokin' with her. We didn't mean nothing! Don't get all worked up over it." Another boy spoke up from the back.

"Only my friends call me Dal, and last I checked Bob, we weren't friends. And I doubt we ever will be. Now come on hun," motioning to me "let's go see Tim." And with that he walked us away from the mustang, which drove off in an instant. I had no idea who this Tim person was, nor who I was with.

"Thanks. I probably would have had to fight them or wait inside that store all night until they went away." I was honestly grateful to this guy.

"No prob girl. The name's Dally as you probably heard. Are you new around these parts?" I noticed that he still kept his arm around my waist.

"I'm April. And yea, just moved here from New York. I've been here for all of 6 hours. Who were those guys?"

"We call them Socs. Rich folks from the West side who like to beat on greasers like us. You are from the East Side right?" When I nodded he continued. "Then you're a greaser like the rest of us. Don't travel alone or else the Socs will jump you. They tend to take advantage of girls alone."

I shuddered at the thought of what he implied. "You keep saying 'the rest of us'. Who are you talking about?"

"Just the gang of guys I hang with. When I'm not in the cooler." He gave me a wry smile. "By the way, do you mind me walking you home? I don't want you to run into those guys again." I looked around and noticed that we were halfway to my house by this point.

"Well seeing as how we're already halfway there sure. But don't expect me to kiss you on my porch or anything. Cuz it ain't gonna happen." He laughed at this. "And thanks again. You're surprisingly sweet."

"Just don't tell anyone and we're all good. I got a reputation to uphold here. That's why those guys were so scared. You picked the right person to stand up for you." He looked down and smiled. Once again I was intensely aware of his arm around my waist. I wasn't sure how I felt about it. I didn't have any feelings for this guy, other than what a sister would have for a brother. Not that I would know, cuz I never had a brother. But I definitely didn't want to kiss him or anything.

"Well this would be my home. Thanks for walking me all this way. Are you still in school?" I stopped at my porch.

"Nah, dropped that shit as soon as I could." He lit a cigarette and it was the only source of light in the dark night. I hadn't even noticed how dark it was. Guess it isn't quite summer yet.

"Well, maybe I'll see you around sometime. See ya Dally." And with that I walked inside the house.

"Bye April." Dally said into the darkness before walking away.

***

"Oh good! April you're home. I was just about to leave to go to the station. We can't be late for our own barbeque. Isn't Stan adorable? He wanted to make us feel comfortable with all the guys who work for him. So he set up this whole barbeque. God I love that man!" My mum was on cloud 9.

I took a moment to look at her. She looked good for her age. I mean, she had me young but still she looks good for being 37. She got pretty caramel coloured wavy hair, and she's short. Well, shorter than me. She was the one who gave me my super slender build. I guess we look a lot alike. I'm glad she finally found someone to love, and who legit loved her back.

"Do you need to change at all?"

"Nah I'm good. Wanna go?" I held open the door for her. I just wanted to get this barbeque over with. I doubt I'd find any cool guys to chill with at this thing, so the sooner we got there the sooner it'd be over.